Best and Worst of ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” torched the box office last weekend and has already grossed over $186 million. That was pretty much expected based on the franchise’s fan base and the strength of the first film in the franchise, 2012’s “The Hunger Games.” What had to be a happy surprise to Lionsgate and director Francis Lawrence were some of the glowing reviews the film has received. Some pundits even throwing out that “Catching Fire” is so good it’s the best sequel since “Empire Strikes Back.” OK, the HitFix team thinks it’s a really good flick, but let’s not get crazy here people. “Catching Fire” isn’t destined to make most critic’s best of year lists. Obviously, “Catching Fire” isn’t aiming for Oscars (or maybe it is?), but as pure old-fashioned cinematic entertainment it features more than enough obvious highlights and lowlights to wax on. And, yes, we can’t wait for “Mockingjay, Pt. 1” either.

With that in mind, check out our best and worst of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” in the embedded gallery below. Agree? Disagree? share your thoughts in the comments section.

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FYC: Jena Malone for Best Supporting Actress for “Catching Fire”. I know it’s crazy but dammit, she kicked ass in that film.

By: RobertSWickstrom

11.28.2013 @ 11:17 AM

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By: angel savior

11.28.2013 @ 12:08 PM

hey man”

This movie was better than the first and excellent IMO.
I’m not surprised that the audience has grown since the first.
I’ve been watching it here
goo.gl/HC4OHK

If you liked the first ” Hunger Games ” movie , you’re bound to enjoy the second installment , ” Catching Fire . ” Many of the same elements are in place ; Deliberately it plays like a Retread of the first story at first , with our heroes forced to repeat history and play the deadly Hunger Games again by a nervous dictatorship that really does not like the way people in the subjugated Districts are Katniss Everdeen flashing a three – finger salute her and whistling the theme song . Before long Katniss and her fake – but – maybe -not boyfriend Peeta are suiting up for a clever all-stars version of the games ( just like modern – day reality shows always have an all-star season sooner or later , except this also serves the evil government ‘s goal of liquidating Katniss and the rest of the celebrity Games survivors . )
But Things are different this time , too . Whatever other inspirations the ” Hunger Games ” series draws upon – from ” Survivor , ” to the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie version of ” The Running Man , ” to the Japanese cult classic that author Suzanne Collins claims she never saw , ” Battle Royale ” – at its best it’s a meditation on the way fear and hope can be used by tyrants to subjugate the masses . The mix must be perfect . Too much fear , and the surly populace will rebel , either violently or through work stoppages . ( As the second movie archly notes , the evil and flamboyant ruling class of the futuristic nation of Panem eats a lot , and the people in the Districts are the source of their raw materials . ) Too much hope is the problem the caused by Katniss and Maps their winning Hunger Games in a way that made ??them look Defiant , inspiring the early stages of a revolution .
As the nasty old piece of work who runs Panem quickly intervening realizes ( as played with terrific levels of sour venom by a terrifying Donald Sutherland ) , simply killing our heroes would the make martyrs of them , and possibly kick off a full-blown civil war he ‘s trying to avoid . The President and his evil new oily gamesmaster ( Philip Seymour Hoffman , bringing his ” A ” game as always ) have some fascinating conversations about the right way to manipulate Katniss ‘ public image to the government ‘s advantage . We see more of the rich and dissolute Capitol this time , and soon get the idea that it might have been a mistake for the dictators to let their elite citizens identify so strongly with the Hunger Games Victors . Media can Distract the masses , but sometimes it also brings people together .
The Hunger Games all-star start of similar to what we saw last time , but quickly intervening Become different , until rules are getting rewritten all over the place . The ending can be faulted for telling about some things that should have been shown , but it’s intriguing – and will of course build audience appetites for the last installment in the series , the which will be broken into two films – to wonder what’s happening in the world outside the Hunger Games arena as Things spin madly out of control . There was a cold , brutal logic to the Games as they were portrayed in the first film. As they Unravel , the civilization built upon them will collapse . The Rebellious types might not have thought that all the way through , just as horrid old President Snow did not think far enough ahead when he signed onto the all-star games concept .
This is not just a philosophy seminar , though . The second movie outdoes its predecessor in almost every way , giving all the returning characters much more to do , Including a surprising amount of character development for the seemingly vapid hostess played by Elizabeth Banks . The action scenes are better choreographed , with none of the dreaded shaky – cam , and there are some spectacular visual effects .
And Jennifer Lawrence is better than ever as Katniss , a grounded , believable reluctant hero who just wants to survive and protect her family and friends . The second chapter of the ” Hunger Games ” story is about her becoming more than just a survivor . Lawrence helps sell that as a graceful transition process Fraught with terror . She also sells Part Three more effectively than any teaser trailer could , with nothing more than a silent but incredibly powerful change of her facial expression . No one else could do what she does for these movies ; she’s one of the most brilliant casting decisions ever made ??.

By: Bill

11.28.2013 @ 12:44 AM

I actually didn’t have a problem with any of the performances you guys mentioned (well, maybe Lenny Kravitz). Surprised, though, that Liam Hemsworth didn’t merit a worst mention. He’s pretty forgettable in this. And Josh Hutcherson definitely gets the most improved award. Very impressed by him in this one

As for bad CGI, that’s not something that really bothers me unless it’s just atrocious (the CGI blood in Dredd comes to mind). Though I get that the complaint wasn’t just about the quality of the effects.

By: RobertSWickstrom

11.28.2013 @ 11:19 AM

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By: angel savior

11.28.2013 @ 12:09 PM

Reply to comment…

By: thespirithunter

11.28.2013 @ 1:22 AM

Okay I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know who’s to blame for all of this, but can somebody attempt to plug up the major gap in logic? If there are tributes out there trying to help Katniss and turn her into a symbol of the impending revolution and

SPOILERS

the gameskeeper is in on it, then what’s with the killer fog and monkeys that could conceivably kill Katniss as soon as it envelopes her/attacks her? This was created by a gameskeeper who is hellbent on keeping her alive for the revolution. So what happens if the fog kills her? Whoops! Better wait another 74 years before we find another jumpstart for the cause.

By: Chani

12.02.2013 @ 4:00 AM

The arena was actually created prior to the capitol knowing that previous Victors would be entering it… It did (supposedly) take years to create the arena, specially for the 3rd quarter quell, so Plutarch couldn’t just change the plan/arena when they sent Katniss in there. Waaay too suspicious looking. The initial plan of Plutarch was to simply become acquainted with the Victors while they were mentors and eventually move them along with him to district 13.

By: rita

11.28.2013 @ 1:25 AM

OMG! What in the hell are those racist tweets? WTF Human kind? WHAT!?!? How do people think those things let alone TWEET THEM? Ugh, people.

By: HistoryofMatt

11.28.2013 @ 1:34 AM

I have to big time disagree with Greg here.

You have problems with Hoffman? And not, say, Liam Hemsworth?

I thought Hoffman was perfect. He was menacing, especially for someone, like me, who’s saving the books until after the films are finished.

It was only after the film was over and I was home did I realize that he completely gave away who he was during his and Katniss’ dance, when he tells her the real reason he came back to be the Games Master.

You look at what Hoffman was able to portray, with no hint of hamminess, like say, his performance in Red Dragon, and he gave me chills every moment he was on screen.

Then compare that to the blank stare and complete lack of his brother’s charisma that we got from Hemsworth. How can you buy into any love triangle when 1/3 of the triangle is Gale? It completely undercuts our belief that Katniss is this fantastic person if she’s even wavering between Peeta and Gale. Really Katniss? Gale??? Block of wood Gale?

By: Brian Toohey

11.28.2013 @ 7:47 AM

I sort of feel bad for Hemsworth. He’s not a bad actor, and for a big, strapping guy he’s also fairly vulnerable and has some emotional accessibility. Compared to a lot of similar males out there on television and in a lot of movies, he’s ahead of the pack.

But he’s Chris Hemsworth’s brother. And he’ll always be compared to him, and look terrible by comparison. He just doesn’t have that same lightning-in-a-bottle charisma.

By: Megan

11.28.2013 @ 2:42 AM

Totally agree with all of this actually- especially PSH! My boyfriend loved Hoffman (he hasn’t read the book) and I left completely unimpressed with his take on Plutarch. Plutarch, to me, is kind of larger-than-life. He’s boisterous and jovial and as a member of the Capital he should be all about MORE and making things bigger and grander. PSH was dull and lifeless.
Jena Malone was very good- I was hesitant about it when she was cast but she did really well! (Elevator scene anyone??) The only thing I wished was that she put more life into one of her best lines- “They can’t hurt me. There’s no one left that I love.”
Mockingjay sure will be interesting!

By: Monty Jack

11.28.2013 @ 3:22 AM

Who else was bugged by how DARK the movie was? And I’m not talking subject matter…I’m talking about the absence of LIGHT. Every scene in the jungle was so murky and underlit I was wondering if my theater had left the dimming 3D lens on the projector by mistake. Awful.

By: Great Movie

11.28.2013 @ 3:42 AM

Josh as Peeta was perfection. He really embodies that character as much as Jennifer embodies Katniss.
Also, I had no problem with the CGI or the arena attacks, they were exciting to me, but I do agree that the vital and horrifying ‘kids killing kids’ thing was a little lost.

By: JS

11.28.2013 @ 5:05 AM

Jennifer Lawrence was great undoubtedly -she practically carries all the scenes when her partners show complete disinterest (*cough* Liam Hemsworth *cough*). Jena Malone as Johanna really made me root for her character while Josh Hutcherson, although slightly improved from the first movie, fails to deliver Peeta’s charisma -I mean in the books I felt that Peeta was witty and socially charismatic, but in the movies, I just feel ‘meh’ even when he dropped the baby bomb and when he tried to talk to Katniss about letting him die in the Games-where did all the tension go? Woody didn’t get a lot of screen time so I’m gonna let that slide past me, and in general I thought Donald Sutherland and Philip Seymour Hoffman were both good though Jena Malone definitely made a bigger impression.

my neighbor’s step-aunt makes $78 every hour on the computer. She has been fired for five months but last month her pay was $15664 just working on the computer for a few hours.for more work detail go to this site home tab….www.jobs83.com

By: angel savior

11.28.2013 @ 12:07 PM

hey man”

This movie was better than the first and excellent IMO.
I’m not surprised that the audience has grown since the first.
I’ve been watching it here
goo.gl/HC4OHK

thank you for this excellent article

By: Chesterfield

11.29.2013 @ 12:50 PM

I haven’t read the books and I didn’t really like the first film, but one of the things I just can’t get past is all the silly names. They’re just so… silly. Might be that I’m getting old and I’m a big grump, but I’m fed up with stuff where people have silly names or they’re a member of a sillily-named secret society or race with special magical powers…

Huurrmm.

By: Ryan

11.30.2013 @ 11:00 PM

They should win for best wetsuits, hands down! And hopefully they will win TONY awards for THE HUNGRY GAMES: A New Musical- [www.youtube.com]

By: serghei

02.13.2014 @ 12:19 PM

Secondary characters, not just the one played by Jena Malone, steal the show. Caesar, Effie, Johanna Mason etc. I don’t know you, but, damn, Tucci was such a clear case of perfect casting.

As for Hoffman, he doesn’t play badly. To me, it seemed that his character had little screen time in Catching Fire. Considering that, Philip did OK. Not great, but OK.

Liam Hemsworth was the weak link.

The special effects were damn good and the movie wasn’t murky. It was as dark as it needed to be. Period.

The costumes and set design were monumental. Trish Summerville made some jaw-dropping outfits.

The movie’s problem, to me at least, is that it doesn’t always make peace with logic or common sense. Some actions are there only to advance the plot, but Catching Fire is build with such skill that you just surrender to it’s views, action and drama. It’s a movie you enjoy watching. Not a perfect one by all means, but a damn good one.